A random assortment of posts about stuff in the news, entertainment, things that interest me and maybe an occasional opinion.

Transportation

September 5, 2012

At long last the new Centro Transit Hub has finally opened....I will present my opinions of it (mostly positive) but first here is some of what was reported by the Syracuse Post-Standard.

Centro opened its new $18.8 million downtown bus transfer station this
morning to a few complaints about late buses and compliments about how
clean and bright the new space is.

"Folks are unfamiliar with the lay of the land," said Frank Kobliski,
the executive director of Centro. "We had a lot of questions we had to
answer. On the whole, we are very, very pleased."

The Centro Transit Hub replaces the former transfer point at South
Salina and East Fayette streets, where for decades riders waited outside
for buses on crowded city sidewalks and streets.

The new hub, three blocks south on Salina at East Adams Street, is
fully covered and allows 22 buses at a time to pull into bays to pick up
riders. The station also has digital screens that display the arrival
time and bay number for each bus line.

Okay....I'll get my gripes out of the way first. There are for entrances into the hub....2 on the south end at Adams Street and 2 on the north end, next to a parking garage off of Harrison Street. It is the northern end entrances that present a problem because there are no traffic signals....this means that buses entering or exiting the facility have to wait for traffic to let them turn. This happened to the bus I rode to the hub.

Leaving was a lot easier.

I don't know what can be done to improve the situation but something needs to happen or else there are going to be a lot of late buses...even more than usual. Granted, it was the first day of operations so one can only hope that they will work out the kinks.

One more shortcoming: Centro needs to install some digial clocks....large digital clocks that can be easily seen throughout the hub. Right now the only clocks they have are at the bottom of their electronic signs.

One thing that apparently recieved a lot of complaints will be resolved: not enough seating. However, Centro will install 30 extra chairs in the center waiting area. This will definitely be a welcome improvement.

So much for the complaints.....now for the compliments. The hub is laid out quite well and is easy to navigate. A map of the facility can be obtained at the information booth and diagrams are also posted.

There is also an indoor waiting area where bus riders will be able to stay warm or cool (depending on the weather) during longer waiting times to make a transfer.

Restrooms and water fountains are also available and there is security 24/7....plus the entire facility is very well lit so this should make riders feel safe, especially at night.

It is nice to be able to wait for a bus without having to contend with rain, snow or intense sunshine, not to mention no longer having to cross the street to make the bus connection or scrambling to see where the bus is in the lineup....we now have the convenience of a permanent dedicated departure bay for every bus line.

After decades of catching buses at South Salina and Fayette streets, it will take people a while to get used to the new Transfer Hub but I firmly believe that when Winter rolls around, they will be quite happy to make their transfers out of the elements. I know I will!

August 24, 2012

As a life-long bus rider (going back to when the buses were operated by Syracuse Transit), I will be delighted when the new Centro Transit Hub in downtown Syracuse opens soon. No more waiting out in the rain and snow. No more having to look down the line of buses to see if the one I need to take is indeed in the lineup...each bus route will have it's own dedicated departure bay. No more having to dodge all the cigarette smoke. And, with any luck, no more avoiding the street preachers. As the Syracuse Post-Standard reports:

Starting next month, Central New York bus riders won’t be able to
smoke a cigarette and will be discouraged from having a snack while
waiting for their bus at the new Centro Transit Hub in downtown
Syracuse.

But for the first time, they’ll be able to wait for a bus indoors, out of the snow, rain and sun.

Security guards will patrol Centro’s new $18.8 million facility day
and night. In the indoor waiting room, there will be public restrooms
and chairs.

Centro officials, along with local politicians, will officially cut
the ribbon at 1:30 p.m. today on the new hub, a facility that’s been
planned for more than a decade as passengers waited for buses outdoors
in America’s snowiest city. Buses and riders will begin using the new
hub Sept. 4.

May 12, 2012

The following story has created some concerns on my part, which I will share further down. First, read the following:

Syracuse, NY -- Syracuse police are investigating a stabbing at Fayette and South Salina streets this afternoon.

A man was stabbed at 1:03 p.m. on the southeast corner of Fayette and South Salina streets near the Centro bus stop. The man was stabbed multiple times in front of the Rite Aid store, Sgt. Tom Connellan said. The victim ran across the street and collapsed on the northwest corner.

Photo courtesy of the Syracuse Post-Standard (www.syracuse.com)

The victim, who has not been identified, had been in an altercation with up to three men in front of the Rite Aid, Connellan said.

"These guys walked up on him or got out of a car and attacked him," Connellan said.

The victim was "extremely serious," Connellan said. "When he left here, he was suffering traumatic cardiac arrest."

This incident yesterday got me thinking about Downtown Syracuse and, more specifically, the corners of South Salina Street and Fayette Street that make up what has been known for decades as Centro's "Common Center"....and what kind of security will be present at the new Centro Transit Hub when it is supposed to open in late June. I am hoping that there will be police stationed at or near the center during the hours of operation. The last thing we need there is the possibility of violence similar to what took place at Common Center. Time will tell.

The new location is about 3 or 4 blocks south of Common Center and an additional concern, unrelated to the safety issue, is how the new bus routes will be configured through Downtown....will buses still stop at Salina and Fayette even though it will no longer be the main bus stop? I am assuming that the answer is yes because of all the businesses in the area....it will just be less congested because the buses will no longer "line up" at that intersection. We shall see.

The Transit Hub will certainly be a more comfortable place to transfer from one bus to another since there will be protection from the elements and I also like the idea of there being a permanent designated bay for each bus route. This should prevent any confusion about where to wait for any particular bus.

Here's a video tour of what the Transit Hub should look like. When it eventually opens I will check it out and share my thoughts (and video).